With the format Take Me to the Market, the chef of Autem (Milan) guides participants in an immersive experience between the market and the kitchen, educating them on quality shopping and the enhancement of raw materials.
Photo by Lido Vannucchi
“I don't choose the menu, the ingredients do.” This is the philosophy that guides Luca Natalini, chef-patron of Autem (Milan), in his approach to cooking and the creation of Take Me to the Market, a format that takes haute cuisine out of the confines of the kitchen and into the beating heart of gastronomy: the market.
Autem's experience between the market and the kitchen
The idea behind Take Me to the Market is as simple as it is contemporary: start from the selection of ingredients to build a dish in total harmony with seasonality and what is available at the moment. The experience begins with a coffee at Autem, a meeting point between the chef and participants, before heading together to the Porta Romana Farmers' Market.
Here Natalini shares his approach to raw material selection, guiding participants in the selection of fresh, quality products that are, above all, available. Because one must remember, in the age of all and now, that ingredient availability is a very delicate matter.
Once the shopping is done, it's back to the kitchen to transform the ingredients into a meal that celebrates simplicity, taste and technique. Take Me to the Market is a format open to all, designed not only for cooking enthusiasts, but for anyone who wants to understand the value of conscious shopping and the circular economy, themes the chef has always held dear.
Living Autem, beyond the kitchen: my Take Me to the Market
I experienced Take Me to the Market firsthand and got to know Luca Natalini more closely, as a man and as a chef. I arrived at Autem 's at 9 a.m. on an October morning. Welcoming me was the chef and, usually, the pastry chef as well, who accompanied the participants' first coffee with her creations. Natalini showed me the restaurant, a space that is a reflection of his personality: he designed it himself, from the spaces of the dining room to the kitchen. More than an open kitchen, Autem's is an open kitchen. Open to the tables and to the eyes of the diners, who can observe every gesture of the brigade in total transparency.
As we walk to the market, Natalini tells me about the birth of Autem: the work, planned for six months, took two years. The funds had run out, but not the passion and sense of responsibility to a team that had always believed in him. When the restaurant finally opened, Natalini went to the market to look for something to put on the plates, because suppliers, after the pandemic, were no longer granting credit. There the enlightenment clicked: what started as a need became the soul of his project. Changing menus every day is a challenge, but it is the heart of his philosophy: seasonality and respect for the ingredient.
At the market, Natalini points out to me that some stalls are closed. The rains of those days ruined part of the harvest, and those who have no produce to offer prefer not to open. This got me thinking: we all talk about sustainability, but buying a broccoli in winter is not enough to salve our consciences.
At the poultry counter, the chef was looking for a guinea fowl. There was none, so we opted for a whole hen, complete with head and feet. Back at Autem, we cooked. Natalini has a way of moving in the kitchen that cannot be described with a single word: elegant, fluid, confident. Every gesture seems simple, yet he is able to transform something as basic as a roast chicken with autumn vegetables into a dish that looks like a Monet painting.
A message of sustainability and awareness
With Take Me to the Market, Natalini not only shares his vision of cooking, but raises awareness of the value of sustainability and quality in the choice of raw materials. An initiative that fits perfectly into the Sustainable Gastronomy Day celebrations and reiterates how cooking can be a powerful tool for change, capable of educating and inspiring.
I highly recommend this experience. Entering a kitchen of this level is always interesting for those who are passionate about gastronomy, but what makes it really special is Natalini's approach, a chef far removed from ego and thirst for prominence. Take Me to the Market is a journey that goes beyond cooking: it is an experience that teaches you to look at food with new eyes, to respect the work of artisans, and to slow down the pace to value each ingredient.
The experience is available as a gift card, and is also designed for corporate team building, couples and groups of friends who want to experience cooking in an authentic and direct way. Take Me to the Market can also be purchased on Autem Milano's official website for €129 per person.
Contacts and info
Autem Milan
Via Serviliano Lattuada 2 - 20135 Milan
Monday-Wednesday-Thursday - 19:00 - 22:30
Friday-Saturday-Sunday 12:00 - 14:30 / 19:00 - 22:30
Reservations: +39 351 278 0368
Email: info@autem-milano.com
